The Family Splits Up

Almost two weeks ago Russ, Nicolas, and Lydia flew to Iowa to visit Caleb and see family.   They were able to catch Caleb's soccer game and his orchestra pops concert.  Nicolas was also able to make college visits to both Dordt and Northwestern.  As a bonus they were also able to see Farmer Paul and Laurina. They were passing through on their way to the Black Hills and also stayed with my parents over the weekend.  

Russ stopped to visit former colleagues at MOC-FV and also had lunch with a college friend.  On Saturday morning he took the CURC Dordt students to Casey's Bakery for breakfast.   He also preached Sunday evening in our former church, Harvest PCA.  (Can't quite take the weekend off:)

Lydia's highlights were eating lunch with Caleb, meeting some of his friends, seeing the cancer cells he was growing for a biology lab, spending time with Grandpa and Grandma and cousins, playing with puppies, picking up her new viola from Gary Vander Hart, and buying a cool Dordt t-shirt.  I'm not sure flying was that great of an experience for her.  They had significant turbulence on their way to Iowa causing her to be airsick.  On the way back to Boise loud, inebriated, middle-aged men sat behind them.  Need I say more?

Seth, Anna, and I kept busy at home.  Anna had school most days, so it was just Seth and I hanging out.  We took Anna out for lunch one day, walked the river with Zoe in Eagle, ate tacos and frozen yogurt at the Village, visited the Lego store, participated in our Casual Co-op leaf walk, watched a tree climbing competition at a downtown park, and did just a little bit of homeschool.

The Pacific Northwest (Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho) International Society of Arboriculture had their tree climbing competition at their annual training conference in Julia Davis park in downtown Boise.  Seth and I saw part of the competition when we were with the co-op for the tree walk and were so intrigued that we came back on Friday morning to watch the master's challenge.

The time has started!  They have 20-some minutes to go in, make safety check, set their lines, get in the tree, and make it to five (I think) stations in the tree, get back out of the tree, and retrieve their lines.  Judges on the ground are watching every detail and giving scores.  Much of what is scored has to do with safety techniques.

Setting a line.  The guy that went after her was able to just swing his weighted rope into the tree rather than use the sling shot thingy.

Lines are set and it is time to get in the tree!

In the tree, trying to get around safely to all the stations.

In this particular station she had to move out very lightly on the branch and ring the bell.  The ball at the end of the string above the bucket could not touch the bucket or is was a fail--too much weight on the branch to be safe.  She did not do it, but the guy after her did a great job.

A better picture of the ball/bucket

Tacos with chips and guac in the Village.

Chick-Fil-A for lunch!  Better than a sack lunch at school--especially on such a beautiful day!

Caleb with his siblings after his soccer game in Storm Lake.

Jack Sparrow, I presume?

Casual Co-op

Five homeschool families (three from our church, one formerly from our church, and one family from a different church) met this summer discuss forming a homeschool co-op.  The established co-ops in the area are quite large and have long waiting lists.  Most of the moms that met did not want anything that required a lot of preparation or was too formal, so the Casual Co-op took form!  Many of our activities are just social, but we try to fit in a few educational ones as well.  We meet once a week on Thursday afternoons.

Our first outing was at Quinn's Pond near downtown Boise.  The kids enjoyed swimming, kayaking, fishing, skipping stones, and just getting to know one another.

The second week we met in Julia Davis park in downtown Boise for a tree walk.  I was asked to organize this activity.  We separated into four groups with each group having to find about twelve trees.  We collected a leaf or fruit/nut from the tree and displayed it in our folders.

Last week we met in Ann Morrison park, another park downtown along the Boise Greenbelt.  A few older children and adults visited the nearby Bosie Bike Project to work on repairing their bikes for this week's activity--biking the Greenbelt.  The rest of us that did not need bikes worked on just enjoyed activities in the park.  It was a cool day so we enjoyed banana bread and hot chocolate for our snack!

Youth Group Kick-Off Ski/Tube Outing

On Saturday, August 20, the CURC youth group had a kick-off gathering Black Canyon Reservoir.   The kids did some boating which included skiing, wake boarding, and tubing; and they also just had a good time sitting around chatting, swimming, or playing volleyball.  

The youth group sponsors' kiddos

Our generous boat drivers

Seth Turns 10

Hard to believe the baby of the family is ten already.   Ten years ago when Seth was born my parents were planning a celebration for their 40th wedding anniversary.  I remember that I left Seth in the NICU in Sioux Falls join the party for awhile.  (So thankful we could celebrate their 50th with them this summer!).  We often tease him that all of his "problems" are because he wasn't fully "cooked."   Despite his under cooked status he has added lots of color, love, laughter, and fun to our family!

This year he asked for a swimming pool birthday cake.  Not sure it tasted that great, but we sure had fun putting it together.

The End of Summer

Anna and Nicolas are finishing up their third week of school at CVC, Seth and Lydia their second at home.  Nicolas is busy with football again this fall as the team's kicker, and Seth is playing his second year of flag football with Upwards.  Russ agreed to help coach Seth's team which they both think is pretty cool.  Music lessons also started back up and Bible studies will begin after Labor Day.  Whew!  

Since the school routine is up and running, I thought I would post the last few summer pictures that have been reposing on my phone and camera.  Sigh.  I like routine, but I sure do miss the summer.

On beautiful days when Caleb, Nicolas, and Russ were all working the younger three and I would often just explore/hike the Boise River.

Sometimes Russ would join us.

This was our Bogus Basin hike.  The drive up to Bogus is probably a good 45 minutes on curvy roads, but the hike is well worth it!  

Seth joined about 8-9 other boys on the annual church Cadet camp-out in August.  Russ drove a couple of them to the camp-out and stayed the first night and day with them while the rest stayed one more night and came home the next day.  They tented by Boulder Lake near McCall, ID.

He informed me that he did not actually catch this trout, but he did help clean it!

Beautiful Boulder Lake

Western Idaho Fair!

We took in a couple shows while at the fair:  the Olate dogs and the racing pigs.

One of our favorite 4H exhibits is the decorated cakes.  We loved the Hobbit hole built on the Lord of the Rings books, but the turtle and some of the others were pretty awesome too.

Free tickets to the Boise Hawks game courtesy of the library reading program. 

Humphrey bonding with Pastor Russ.

And when you're bored by the 6th inning you grab mom's phone and draw what we are watching.

I'll end the post with a few pictures of one of our favorite places (Big Sand).  These are courtesy of Nicolas.  They have just been hiding out on his phone since our vacation.

A reflection of the sky in the water.